Just a quick Q - what is the name of the course that AAC Officers are selected/required to do, I think it's 1 maybe 2 tours in? Is it the (Aircraft?) Commanders (Captaincy?) Course? I'm trying to rack my brain and can't remember for the life of me... If I remember rightly it's the transition from pilot - aircraft commander and then onwards and upwards away from the pilots seat to be more of an officer/leader than a pilot. Any extra info that can be shed greatly appreciated.

Just a quick Q - what is the name of the course that AAC Officers are selected/required to do, I think it's 1 maybe 2 tours in? Is it the (Aircraft?) Commanders (Captaincy?) Course? I'm trying to rack my brain and can't remember for the life of me... If I remember rightly it's the transition from pilot - aircraft commander and then onwards and upwards away from the pilots seat to be more of an officer/leader than a pilot. Any extra info that can be shed greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

MC

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All change (soon anyway). Currently, all pilots (regardless of officership or NCO) are required to go back to Middle Wallop to carry out the Mission Commanders course (usually within their first tour or very soon after hopefully). Once they have successfully completed that, they will then be able to carry out an Aircraft Commanders check ride. With both those ticks, they can become and Aircraft Commander. There are a few other bits of niff naff and trivia they need to complete to be fully up and running but thats the basic scheme of events.

Currently though, there is a bit of an experiment to push ab-initio students onto the Mission Commanders course straight after CTT then do an Aircraft Commanders check ride straight after.

All change (soon anyway). All pilots (regardless of officership or NCO) are required to go back to carry out the Mission Commanders course (usually within their first tour). Once they have successfully completed that, they will then be able to carry out an Aircraft Commanders check ride. With both those ticks, they can become and Aircraft Commander.

Currently though, there is a bit of an experiment to push ab-initio students onto the Mission Commanders course straight after CTT then do an Aircraft Commanders check ride straight after.

Fucking barking if you ask me.

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Thank you for the speedy reply!

So at the moment... if I'm understanding things correctly at this time of night and wine - Mission Commanders Cse is going to become a pre-requisite for EVERYONE before Aircraft Comm Cse? Are there guys who have done Aircraft Comm Cse but not Mission Comm? And is this because Aircraft Comm Cse was Occifer only?!

Aircraft Commanders course (Mission Commander in new money) is required by everyone regardless if they are commissioned or NCO. Same course, same requirement to pass. Officer or NCO. Clear?

Presently, the course is undertaken after a chap has been flying as a pilot for a year or two. Off he poddles to do the course (mainly classroom/simulator based). Once he's passed that, he is eligable to be put forward for his Aircraft Commanders check ride (a flight). Its usual for it to be done in that order but very occasionally, a check ride may be conducted prior to the course. Either way, he wont get his command ticket until he has done both.

The zany new idea is to push sprogs through straight after the conversion to type phase so in theory, he can command as soon as he gets to his first squadron. In practice, it'll not be as straight forward. He'll still need to learn the ropes before any authorising officer (read; officer or NCO) worth his salt will allow him to be in charge of anything more than his undercrackers and bodily movements.

Having said that, its not too disimilar to what we used to do in the olden days. Finish the course as an aircraft commander; minimum rank Sgt. So we've actually just reinvented the fucking wheel.